Group Leader

Vlatka Zoldoš

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ResearchGate Profile

Position: Full Professor
E-mail: vzoldos@biol.pmf.hr
Telephone: +385 1 4606266
Employment: Faculty of Science University of Zagreb (Department of Biology,
Division of Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Epigenetics)
Address: Horvatovac 102A, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Vlatka Zoldoš, PhD, is a professor at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Science, Department for Biology, Division of Molecular Biology, where she introduced epigenetics as a research field as well as a course at the graduate study of Molecular Biology. She mentored over 15 graduate student, as well as over 10 PhD students. Her students continued their education on the prestigious institutions in Croatia and abroad such as Oxford University, UK, Humboldt University, Germany, Tempere University, Finland, etc. She published over 50 scientific papers in international scientific journals with high impact factor, and is cited more than 1000 times. She is involved in several projects of large consortia funded by EU (from FP7 or Horizon2020 programs), several national projects, and her group is a part of Center of excellence in Personalized healthcare. She is reviewer and associated editor in several international scientific journals with high impact factor. Her main scientific focus is on epigenetic of protein glycosylation and design, construction and use of CRISPR/dCas9-based molecular tools for epigenetic editing.

Scientific interests:
Epigenetics, Protein glycosylation, Epigenetics in human complex diseases, Chromatin

Education:
2000 PhD Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb and University Paris-Sud XI, CNRS, Orsay, France (dual mentorship)
1992 B.Sc. in Biology, Faculty of Science University of Zagreb

Active projects:

2019 – 2023: Project leader R&D project “Genomic engineering and gene regulation in animal cells and model organisms using CRISPR/Cas9 – technology- CasMouse”; European structural and investment funds.

2017 – 2022: Principal investigator on Faculty of Science on the R&D project CEKOM Molecular Diagnostics; European structural and investment funds

2017 – 2023: Principal investigator on Faculty of Science on the R&D project of Centre of excellence for personalized health care; European structural and investment funds

2016 – 2020: Principal investigator on Faculty of Science on the R&D project “New generation of high-throughput glyco-services” ; European structural and investment funds

2017 – 2021: Group leader on the project “Innovative training in methods for future data” (IMforFuture), Marie Curie Innovative Training Network: European Training Network (ITN-ETN) of the Horizon 2020 Sub-programme, coordinator of the project: Prof. dr. sc. Jeanine Houwing-Duistermaat, University of Leeds, UK.

2017 – 2022: Collaborator on the project Horizon2020-SC1-2016-2017 “A systems medicine approach to chronic inflammatory diseases” (SYSCID); project coordinator: Philip Rosenstiel, Institute for Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel, Germany.

Previously funded projects:

2017 – 2019 Project leader, ICGEB Research Grant – Collaborative Research Pprogramme (CRP); «Comprehensive toolbox for epigenetic modulation of gene expression»

2014 – 2018: Project leader of the project founded by Croatian Science Foundation: “Epigenetic regulation of IgG glycosylation” (EpiGlycoIgG), grant agreement no: 3361

2013 – 2016 (September): Networking manager in EU FP7 RegPot Project: “Integrating research in molecular life sciences at the University of Zagreb”, grant agreement no: 315997, coordinator Prof Gordan Lauc, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Croatia

2012 – 2016 (October): Leader of WP in EU FP7 project IBD-BIOM: “Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease”, grant agreement no: 305479, coordinator Jack Satsangi, Center for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK

2012 – 2015: Collaborator on the project founded by Croatian Science Foundation: “Epigenetic vs.genetic diversity in natural plant populations: A case study of Croatian endemic Salvia species”, project leader Prof Zlatko Šatović, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Croatia

2011 – 2012: Project leader of PCSI project funded by Agence Univérsitaire de Francophonie (AUF) „L’impact de stress énvironnemental sur le génome, epigénome et glycome de quelques éspeces de plantes“

2007 – 2012: Project leader of the project funded by Ministry of Science and Sport of Republic of Croatia, „Chromatin dynamics genome plasticity“, grant agreement 119-1191196- 1224

International collaborations:

  1. SYSCID consortium
  2. IMForFuture consortium
  3. Collaboration with dr. Zdenko Herceg, IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer): transfer of pyrosequencing technique from the laboratory of dr. Z. Herceg to laboratory of prof. V. Zoldoš (post-doctoral research training of Tomislav Horvat, PhD). Also, IARC (group of dr. Z.Herceg) is the partnering institutions on the project FP7 RegPot Integra-Life.
  4. Collaboration with prof. Harry Campbell and prof. Jack Satsangi, University of Edinburgh, which resulted with the successful application for the FP7 IBD-BIOM project.
  5. Collaboration with dr. Genevieve Almouzni, Institute Marie Curie, through doctorate disertation with dual mentorship (thèse en cotutelle) of Tomislav Horvat (ac. year 2006–2010). Also, Institute Marie Curie (group of dr. G. Almouzni) is the partnering institutions on the project FP7 RegPot Integra-Life.
  6. Collaboration with dr Caroline Hayward and dr Veronique Vitard, MRC Human Genetic Unit,University of Edinburgh Western General Hospital, through doctoral research training of Paula Dobrinić, MSc.
  7. Collaboration with dr. Daniel Kolarich from Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces Berlin, a partner on the FP7 project IBD-BIOM.
  8. Collaboration with prof. Tim Spector from King’s College London, UK. King’s College is the partnering institutions on the project FP7 RegPot Integra-Life.
  9. Collaboration with dr. Vito Annese from Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Carregi, Firenza, Italy, a partner on the FP7 project IBD-BIOM.
  10. Collaboration with dr Gestur Vidarsson, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory, Amsterdam, Netherlands, through short research training of Dora Markulin, MSc.
  11. Collaboration with dr. Sonja Šiljak-Yakovlev, University of Paris-Sud XI through bilateral French-Croatian projects.

Invited talks:

  • Zoldoš V., Epigenetic regulation of protein glycosylation. 2nd GlycoCom and 1st Human Glycome Project Meeting. October 3 – 6, 2018. Dubrovnik, Croatia.
  • Zoldoš V., Epigenetic regulation of IgG glycosylation using CRISPR/Cas9 based tools. 4th Congress of Croatian Geneticists with international participation. September, 26th – 29th , Krk, Croatia.
  • Zoldoš V, CRISPR/Cas9 for epigenetic editing: an application in studies of aberrant IgG glycosylation in chronic inflammatory diseases. 9th From Solid State to Biophysics conference, Cavtat, Croatia, June 21, 2018
  • Zoldoš V., Epigenetic editing using CRISPR/Cas9-based molecular tools. BMB Epigenomics seminar, Mayo Graduate School, Rochester, USA, April 3rd, 2018 (invited lecture for graduate students of Mayo Graduate School)
  • Zoldoš V., Epigenetic regulation of protein glycosylation using CRISPR/dCas9 based tools. 34th International Symposium on Microscale Separations and Bioanalysis – MSB 2018, February 18-21 2017, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  • Zoldoš V., Epigenetic regulation of protein glycosylation. 12th Jenner Glyco 2017 Conference, May 6th – 9th 2017, Dubrovnik, Croatia.
  • Zoldoš V., MGAT3 gene promoter methylation correlates with IgG glycosylation in inflammatory bowel disease. 24th International Symposium on Glycoconjugates, August 27th – September 1st Jeju Island, South Korea.
  • Zoldoš V., Epigenetic Editing Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System and Its Applications in Precision Medicine. 10th ISABS, June 19th -24th, 2017, Dubrovnik, Croatia.
  • Zoldoš V., “Epigenetic regulation of protein glycosylation: implications for complex diseases”; 23rd International Symposium on Glycoconjugates (Glyco23); September 2015, Split, Croatia.
  • Zoldoš V., “Genetics and epigenetics of protein glycosylation: implications for complex diseases”; 9th ISABS conference, June 2015, Bol, Brač, Croatia.
  • Zoldoš V., “Complex genetics and epigenetics of protein glycosylation in human diseases”. SFB 852 „Ernährung und intestinale Mikrobiota – Wirtsinteraktionen beim Schwein“, Berlin, July 11, 2014.
  • Zoldoš V., “Epigenetic regulation of protein glycosylation”. RGB Net Meeting, Zagreb, May 7th, 2014.
  • Zoldoš V., “Epigenetic regulation of protein glycosylation: implications in human diseases”, Clinical Epigenetics International Meeting (CLEPSO2014), March 2014, Düsseldorf, Germany.
  • Zoldoš V., “Epigenetics of protein glycosylation”. “Glycochips become a routine instrument” workshop, Moscow, October 10-12, 2011.
  • Zoldoš V., Complex Genetic Regulation of Protein Glycosylation. Glycomics meets genomics – novel strategies in combining -omics approaches. Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 23th – 26th, 2010.
  • Zoldoš V., “Lamarck revisited: epigenetic adaptation na inheritance». Summer School on Statistical Omics, 5. kolovoz 2014. Split, Hrvatska
  • Zoldoš V., “Lamarck revisited: epigenetic adaptation na inheritance». Summer School on Statistical Omics, 09. kolovoz 2015. Split, Hrvatska

Miscellaneous:

Classes:
Undergraduate study of Biology and Molecular Biology:
Genetics
Epigenetics
Molecular Cytogenetics

Graduate study (PhD program at Faculty of Science University of Science):
Epigenetics

Organization of scientific meetings:

  • 2016 Member of organization committee of International Conference on Polyploidy, Hybridisation and Biodiversity (ICPBH2016); 11-14 May 2016, Rovinj, Croatia
  • 2015 Member of organization committee of 23rd International Symposium on Glycoconjugates (Glyco23); 15-20 September 2015, Split, Croatia
  • 2015 Organizer of Epigenetic Workshop (integrated within the 9th ISABS conference), 22 – 26 June 2015, Bol, Island of Brač, Croatia

Ad hoc reviewer:

  • Journals: Clinical Epigenetics, PLoS One,Nature Communications, Briefings in Functional Genomics, Oncotarget, Journal of Plant Science, Journal of Botany, Plant Systematic and Evolution

Editorial activities: 

  • from 2010 – Associated Editor of Clinical Epigenetics (BMC Molecular Biology Journal)
  • from 2016  – Member of Editorial Board  of Briefings in Functional Genomics (Oxford Journals)